// University News

18 Mar 2016

The Education Secretary and Loughborough MP, Nicky Morgan, was at the Sports Technology Institute today (18 March) to find out how athletes and researchers use maths as part of their day-to-day activity.

During her visit the MP urged sixth forms and FE colleges in the East Midlands to offer students the chance to study the Level 3 practical maths qualification, Core Maths.

Encouraging students to study the Core Maths course is part of the solution to boosting practical maths skills in the East Midlands which are in high demand among employers. A YouGov poll, released today, shows 85% of businesses in the East Midlands say that employees with practical maths skills have a competitive edge over their colleagues. This is above the national average of 80%, showing these skills are valued more highly in the East Midlands than elsewhere.

Dr Andy Harland, Director of Loughborough University’s Sports Technology Institute, said: “A good understanding of maths makes a difference to so many aspects of life. We use it every day in our work in the Sports Technology Institute. For instance, our researchers use it to make calculations as part of their projects and athletes who work with us use it to assess their performance. There’s no doubt that maths will maximise your opportunities for the future.”